What is a typical AA meeting like. What are some common activities?

Answer 1

Arrive early so you can get a cup of bad coffee.

First come the readings, about 10 minutes of the same mind-numbing words you'll hear every week, followed by a prayer.

What comes next depends on the type of meeting:

Big Book:
People read a portion of the Big Book aloud, often poorly, you try not to laugh, then some guru (usually defined by length of time in the program) tells you what he thinks it means and everyone agrees.

Topic meeting:
Everyone gets a chance to explain why they are grateful to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Open meeting:
People lie about how awful they were as alcoholics, then lie about how happy, joyous, and free they are now after being saved by Alcoholics Anonymous.

In all three types of meetings, you introduce yourself by giving you name and declaring that you are an alcoholic each time you wish to speak. This reinforces the idea that you really want a drink. You are expected to pepper your talk with the same thought-stopping slogans that everyone else uses and make frequent references to God.

Then the grumpy-looking guy in the corner, the one with the most seniority comments on 1) how you all have it wrong, 2) how most of you are going to die drunk, and/or 3) how much better AA was in the old days.

This followed by another (or the same) prayer, you all shout, "It works if you work it!" then go outside and gossip about whoever wasn't there.

Answer 2

There are several types of meetings.. Book Study meetings where they read and discuss some of the literature. Speaker meetings when it's only a speaker..
Speaker discussion meetings when a speaker talks for a designated time and then they open up the meeting for whoever wants to share.
Always at the beginning of the meetings there are certain readings out of the book "Alcoholics Annonymous". They read something called "How it Works" which is the beginning of chapter five of the book. That reading outlines what the 12 steps are that they took to get sober.
Another reading they do is called the !2 traditions which is the reading of the group "rules" in order to keep AA as a whole functioning. At the end of the meetings they join in a circle and say either the serenity prayer or another prayer.. to remind each that they cannont recover alone.

If you don't like a meeting you go to.. keep trying meetings in your area until you find one that feels like home to you. You made need to try a meeting a few times.

To me a good meeting is when people reach out to meet the newcomers and make sure they feel a little more comfortable.

Hope this helps..
Easy Does It!

(21 years of sobriety)

Answer 3

The most common activity at a AA meeting, is sharing your experiences, strengths & hopes, in order to help yourself and others at the meeting.

Answer 4

Ive been to hundreds you dont have to talk if you arnt ready.People share their life stories and tell what theirBOTTOM was if its a good meeting there will be people who have yrs of sobritey. listen and approach them after the meeting do NOT ask the one who have very short times sober..sometimes just listing to the"old timers youll hear your own story ....good luck

Answer 5

Typical Aa Meeting

Answer 6

lies, myths, rituals, chants, slogans, more lies, similar stupid stories, guilt, shame, pure peer pressure, insta-friends, predators, bad advice, constantly reminded of powerlessness and to beg some god outta chapter 3 of the Bbook for direction, etc. All this is geared for the rare, well brainwashed "REAL" alcoholic.....for a while.

Answer 7

Very depressing....first introductions...then readings from the "big Book"...then depressing stories about other boring, depressing lives...then a prayer...the we go home and drink.

Answer 8

they are meeting but you have to go and find out and ask about the tweleve step program and some things you cant talk about so you have to find out when you go.

Answer 9

You just sit in a circle and talk.